Final Fantasy IX - A New Beginning
by Surrect Tiger
Summary: Zidane wants to find an heirloom that he lost as a child. Unfortunantely, so does an enemy.... The story is mostly between Zidane and Garnet. This is my first fanfic, so go easy on me if you review.


Final Fantasy IX is in NO way my creation, it's Squaresoft's. It is simply a mine field for my ideas. Everything you read here that wasn't in the game is what I have thought up and glued together (you can tell).

This story was written by QualmC661

Note: This story contains spoilers for the game, so it is recommended that you have beaten it (I just thought I should've warned you...). Please excuse typing errors.

Zidane Tribal stood out on the bow of the airship Prima Vista II. The cool, refreshing wind blew through his blonde hair, making it fly everywhere. He struggled to keep his eyes open against the itch as the wind blew into them. It was nearly 3:00 A.M., and he was the only one awake right at that moment. He thought about where they were going. The Prima Vista II was an airship with the exact same layout as the original Prima Vista. The first had been destroyed over four years ago near Alexandria, critically damaged and blown down into a forest. Since then, nothing had been the same for him.

Zidane thought about Alexandria. The massive city was still under repair from the attack of Invincible. They were returning after three and a half years of traveling. Since then, Zidane hadn't seen or heard from Garnet. He was anxious to get back. The only reason that he wanted to return for was her. She was the only thing there for him...

A door opened behind him, and out stepped Freya Crescent. He couldn't see her white animal face, but he couldn't mistake that pointy hat and height for anything else. Her long, birdlike legs and feet plodded on the wood as she walked up beside him. She looked around at the beautiful settings. Right now, they were over Burmecia, about half a day's trip from Alexandria westward. The dark city returned to Freya her stinging feeling of failure...but how could one Burmecian make a difference in a battle between thousands?

The city wasn't lit up. There wasn't a single person, animal, or living being (for that matter) in the streets. It was as dead as it had been for years. The stars were the only source of light. "What are you doing up here, Zidane?" She didn't receive an answer for a minute or two. All Zidane did was look around, especially near the dark light of Alexandria several miles away. Finally, he gave an answer her. His mind was so muddled right now, he didn't hardly pay attention to what he had said. "Nothing...I just can't sleep, that's all..." Freya looked at him, almost smiling. She knew that he badly wanted to return to Alexandria. Now nothing would stop him.

"Really?" she asked. He leaned forward on his arms, keeping balance on the railing. The strong, sturdy metal easily held up his weight. He sighed, thinking about what Garnet might say to him once he would be back. "...Yeah. I just can't sleep. What are you doing up?"

"I thought you might like some company." He smiled. Some company might be nice... "What are you thinking, Zidane?" she asked him. It was a common question they asked eachother very often. They had grown an unbreakable relationship between the years of parting Alexandria. They were the best of friends, now, and one wouldn't fight without the other. He looked at her for a second, then back to the city. "...About Alexandria."

"Why?" she asked. He looked down at the railing, slowly shaking his head.

"It's...I don't know. I just don't know what I'll say to her." Freya frowned at him. She instantly knew who he was talking about. "Why don't you tell her how happy you are to see her?" Zidane gave a fake smile, saying sarcastically, "...Yeah. Sure. I can see myself saying, 'Oh, hi, Garnet. How are you? Me? Fine, thanks. That's why I left you alone for three and a half years.'" He chuckled. Freya frowned even harder. She usually ignored him when he played his little game, but now she was concerned. She knew he was really stuck. Zidane continued, "...Seriously. I'm happy to get there to see her, but then again, what will she think of me?"

"What she's thought for the past four years, Zidane."

"...Real assuring, Freya. There's just one problem with that. I have no idea what she _has_ been thinking..." She looked at Alexandria the same way she did, physically and emotionally. It was a large city full of life, but there was something very special there. She turned back to him, then said, "Well, even if you _do_ say something, you'll be in no good position if you're dead tired." Zidane looked back at her, then nodded with agreement. "...Yeah, I guess you're right. Let's hit the sack..." as she opened the door to go in, Zidane stopped her. "Oh, and Freya?" She looked back at him. "...Thanks for the company."

As the Prima Vista II pulled into the dock of Alexandria, Zidane leaped off the ship before it had even stopped. A large domed room, thousands of feet across, had just been built in the last few years, and greatly added on to the kingdom of Alexandria. Zidane ran through rooms and halls, not caring whether his friends had followed him or not. He stopped when he ran into Steiner. The man was already growing a small beard, but Zidane was too excited to care. He started shouting out questions. "STEINER!!! Where is she!?" he shouted. Steiner was cross-eyed, and he swiveled around for a few seconds. When he finally recovered from the crash, he stared at Zidane for a minute. "You...you're back?"

Zidane quickly nodded, and repeated his question. "Where is she!?" Steiner looked bewildered. "...Zidane...right?" Then he scratched his chin. "...Who?...Oh. Queen Garnet is up on the balcony of Her Majesty's bedroom. Who else is wi-" Zidane ran past him, accidentally hitting Steiner's shoulder, and knocking him over.

Zidane reached Queen Garnet's bedroom, and was greeted by two guards. One stopped him, and asked, "Excuse me, you cannot see Queen Garnet Til Alexandros right now."

"Why not!!!???"

"She is currently having her planned 'personal time', which lasts from...are you..." The soldier tilted his head, and said loudly, "Master Tribal! Queen Garnet is now ready to see you!" Zidane stopped, wondering about what had brought that on...but he didn't care. He burst through the double-doors, his heart pounding with excitement. He ran through her bedroom, seeing expensive dressers, pictures and portraits, gold wall lining, and many more things. But beside her bed was the opening that lead out onto the balcony. He stepped out, into the warm, sunny air. Twenty feet across from him was Queen Garnet. She was leaning on a small stone wall, staring over her beautiful, glorious kingdom of Alexandria.

Zidane stopped himself from running so hard that he would accidentally push her off, and suddenly realized that he didn't know what he would say.... What _would_ someone say to her from not seeing her for three and a half years? Her back was facing him, and he was surprised that, by all the noise he had made, she hadn't seen him yet. His heart was warmed by her familiar yellow/orange clothing with a white shirt underneath it. He saw her long, beautiful black hair running down her back, her maroon boots shining in the sunlight, a white belt wrapped around her left leg. It was all too familiar.

Suddenly, his mind was stopped by a very small voice...coming from Garnet. He couldn't make out what she was saying...but...wait a minute...she wasn't talking, she was singing. His thoughts had vanished at first memory of that vague, but beautiful song her had heard her sing before. He let her go on, careful not to interrupt her. He silently walked to the end of the balcony beside her, listening without a thought. It was overwhelming...he hadn't seen her in three years, and now he was standing on her balcony with her, alone, listening to her sing...what was he doing!? He was supposed to be talking to her and telling her his stories, not waiting another minute! But something deep inside him told him that he dare not interrupt her. He had waited for three years, so what was another minute?

When her singing ended, she looked left, seeing him for the first time in what seemed like forever. She couldn't believe it. After all the waiting and wishing he was back, it had all come true. Her heart jumped at the sight of him, but she was so excited, she couldn't even blink. Finally, she gathered enough courage to take a step towards him. Neither said a thing, just stared into eachother's eyes for a very long time. Zidane was the first to speak. "...Garnet..." Then, she finally spoke. "...Zidane...you're back..." Then she swiftly fell into his arms, hugging him so tight it actually _hurt_. He smiled larger than he ever had in his life, and then returned her hug by giving her a squeeze.

Her tears dampened his sleeve, but he couldn't have cared less. As long as he was here, he didn't care if she completely soaked all his shirts. She straightened herself, then looked back into his eyes. "Zidane, where have you been!?" He thought for a long time, then answered, "It's a long story, but it can wait." She agreed with a look in her eyes.

Vivi, Eiko, Amarant, Freya, and Quina were all at the entrance to her bedroom, silently watching. It even moved Amarant, as rock hard as he was. Vivi was especially enjoying this. He was expecting something to happen, but not this dramatic. When their arms fell off and all their ribs were broken (yes, I'm kidding), Garnet said, "Come...we have a meal for everyone ready down in the dining room. A surprise came from everyone. They hadn't known that Garnet was expecting them today. A remark came from everyone.

"It's about time, I'm starving."

"Food? What's going on? How did you know...?"

"Good. Let's go down."

"What are we having?"

"Quina not eat since half-hour! Quina starve!!!"

Down in the dining room, the chef was serving a large turkey, bigger than anyone had ever seen. The dining room had changed, too. Now it was hundreds of feet wide and long, with stone floor. There was a fifty-foot long table, riddled with several guests. Some of them were Regent Cid of Lindblum, Garnet's uncle, some men in black clothing (disguised bodyguards of Regent Cid), a man in red plating, and several other people Among them were Zidane and his party. They all ate happily, each thinking about his or her own schedule. They had to leave Alexandria again. Zidane was the one fighting it the most, but they had to. Garnet sat beside him, asking him several questions. "Where have you been for the last three and a half years?" Zidane stopped eating at that question. How could he tell her? He looked over at Freya.

"We have been...looking for a valuable stone." answered Freya for him. "It's like any other stone that gives you abilities, except it takes away all and adds one."

"Which is?"

"...Time travel." Garnet looked puzzled.

"Time travel? Why is it important?" Zidane answered this time. "Because...OK, suppose you were evil, and you wanted to destroy someone you hated. All you would have to do is travel back to the time their ancestors lived, and destroy them. That way, you would prevent them from producing their father or mother, which would prevent their production."

"So...where is it now?"

"We don't know," answered Amarant. He stuffed an entire leg in his mouth. Garnet looked at Freya. "When are you leaving to search for it again?" Zidane stood up, and left the dining room. Garnet watched him until he exited, and looked back at Freya with a confused look on her face. She quickly understood as Freya answered with "...Tomorrow."

FINAL FANTASY IX-

A NEW BEGINNING

"Zidane..." said Garnet, as she came out onto the balcony. He was standing on the rock wall, like he had done many times before he left the first time. It showed that he was thinking, and he was upset about something. She walked up to the wall as he jumped down. He leaned against it. Now it was late at night. They were the only two who were awake in the castle. Bright lights shone from lamps in each street, illuminating the massive city. No one was in the streets right now.

"We...we just got back." said Zidane. "...And we're leaving tomorrow. Why don't they search for the stone?" he asked no one. "Why do they have to have me?"

"Maybe I could come with you," said an unsure Garnet.

"No...Alexandria needs you." He looked down, sadly. What could he say? He thought it would be harder the first time he saw her, but this was impossible. He couldn't tell her he cared about her, she would think he was juist saying that. After all, he would stay if he really did care about her. He couldn't say he had missed her, because he would be gone for another month or more. He couldn't say _anything_...but she could.

"...Sometimes I still wish you were a thief." He was blown away by that answer. He said in a surprised voice, "Really?" She nodded. "I wish you still were so you could kidnap me again. There's nothing here for me, now..." _She really means it_, thought Zidane. She would have made a good queen someday, but there was nothing she could really change in Alexandria. It wasn't that Brahne had done too much, it was the fact that she loved traveling more than governing a kingdom. She needed to be free.

Zidane walked back into her room, off the balcony. As he went for the door, she stopped him. "Zidane, why aren't you agreeing with me?" she asked. He thought for a few seconds, then came up with an answer... "Because it's your choice. I've already treated you too much like a child, you said it yourself. Now it's your choice. I can't make up a queen's mind." As he left the room, and walked across the hall into a room he, Amarant, and Steiner would share, something hit him. ..._A queen and a thief together? I thought it would never happen_...

That night, Zidane had a dream. He dreamed that he and Garnet were on the Prima Vista II. It was late at night, and they were the only ones on the airship. He watched Garnet, the wind blow through her beautiful hair...the way she gave him a warm smile every time she looked at him...

Then, suddenly, from behind her, came Kuja. His gray, long hair and open clothes made him distinguishable from everyone else. As Garnet turned around, Kuja lifted a thin, razor-edged spear into the air, and thrust it into Garnet's chest. They stood there for several minutes. Then, as if in slow motion, Kuja slid the spear out of her body. She fell backwards slowly, and Zidane caught her. She spoke very softly to him. "Zidane...the...stone..." then, her eyes closed for the last time.

Zidane awoke, feeling like someone had punched him. At first he thought that Garnet was really dead, but then remembered that it was a dream. Amarant was shaking him. "Hey, c'mon, get up. We're leaving." Zidane rubbed his eyes as bright light blinded him for a second. He stood up, and stretched. As the light slowly faded away, he saw, in the door to the hallway, a man in red plating walk past the door. He turned to see Vivi waiting for him. As they made their way to the dock, he saw the magnificent Prima Vista II, and again remembered his dream. He regretted that they were leaving so soon, but he would be back to see Garnet...soon...

Garnet! Where was she? He didn't even say good-bye! He looked around. It wasn't like her to just let them leave without saying anything. Zidane asked Freya, "Where's Garnet?" Freya looked at him.

"I don't know," she answered. "I went to get her at her room, but the guards told me that she had been in there all night, and told them not to disturb her." Zidane's feelings dropped. He knew she was sad to see them go, but that didn't mean she couldn't even say bye. He gave one last look back at the entrance to the castle, then climbed aboard the Prima Vista II. The airship's propellers began to turn faster and faster, until the ship began to float slowly away from the dock. There was only one more place they could look for the stone...in Burmecia.

In three hours, the Prima Vista II was nearly halfway to Burmecia. Zidane was down in his cabin, laying on his bed. Vivi walked into the room, then adjusted his pointed hat. His black face and glowing yellow eyes made every Burmecian have a negative thought about him at first, but after they got to know him, they really liked Vivi. He was short, about two feet tall, and always wore a blue coat and sky blue striped pants.

"What's going on, Zidane?"

"Nothing. I just can't wait to get to Burmecia."

"Me neither. Do you think we'll find the stone there?"

"I don't know," answered Zidane, as he hopped off his bed, and walked over to a table. He sat down in a chair, put his hands together, and leaned forward. "Vivi...why did I have to come with you?"

"Because," said a voice from the door, "we need you, Zidane." He turned to see Eiko standing at the door. Freya was behind her. Eiko walked up to Zidane, then jumped into a chair, and sat down. Her tiny legs didn't even reach halfway to the floor. Freya followed her, but just stood near a wall. "Zidane, we haven't thought about telling you this until now." said Freya. "Some decade and over a half, you were born. Your mother, while having you, was wearing a stone peice around her neck, much like Garnet's. It was called Holy Mythril. She kept it for several years before dying, and left it for you. Soon, deserted soldiers from Alexandria came, and tried to steal the stone. Somehow, it was broken in two. The first was apparently destroyed. The second was given to your father for safe keeping."

"...What does this have to do with what we're looking for?" asked Zidane. Freya answered him. "Let me finish. After your father died, the stone was given to Regent Cid until you were old enough to have it. We recently found that, while being attacked by Alexandria about four years ago, Regent Cid had put it in your backpack."

"Then why didn't I see it?" Suddenly, it hit Zidane. Why hadn't he noticed it before!? He rembered, when Beatrix, and Alexandrian general, had attacked them, they had badly lost. Zidane lay on the ground, bleeding. He pushed himself up to see if the others were alright. As he did, he saw a small green stone rolling slowly on the ground. It wasn't wet, for some reason, like the ground around it, for it had been raining. He never payed much attention to it until now. "...I...did see it." said Zidane. Freya nodded slowly to him, and everyone else now knew that it _was_ in Burmecia.

Steiner, back at Alexandria, knocked on queen Garnet's door. "Your Highness, are you there?" he asked loudly. He knocked again, his rusty old metal glove clanging on the door. "Queen Garnet, please open immediately." He waited, then knocked a final time. "QUEEN GARNET!!! Are you in your room!? If so, please open the door immediately!!!" After waiting nearly five minutes, he signaled something to the two guards. They walked away from the door, and ran back to it. As they charged at the door, they bounced off like beans. "You morons!" shouted Steiner. He reared back, and shoved his whole weight against the door. It came crashing down, slamming loudly onto the floor.

Steiner drew his sword, then walked into the Queen's room. "Queen Garnet, are you here?" He walked out onto the balcony, then turned to the two sore guards. He said, "Completely search the castle. Find Garnet Til Alexandros, and don't return to me until you have found her!!!" The two guards saluted, then ran out of the room into the hallway.

Freya was on the main deck of the airship, and had her spear drawn. She set a can on a barrel, then closed her eyes. Zidane walked up from below, and saw her professionally run up to the small can, turn backwards, stick the weapon under her arm, and stab right through it. She was practicing. Zidane slowly began to clap, not really impressed at what he just saw. He knew Freya too well to underestimate her. She opened her eyes, then looked back at him. Zidane said the first words. "Well, we shouldn't be in Burmecia too long."

"Why?"

"Well, we basically know where the stone is."

"What was the stone called, Zidane?"

"How should I know? I was very young when my mother gave it to me. In fact, I don't remember even having it. You were the one who told me about it. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known. Freya watched him walk up to the railing, then lean on it. She walked up beside him. She put her spear away, and watched as they came nearer to the dead city of Burmecia. Now, for some reason, she didn't feel the painful emotion come back to her. Something had changed to Burmecia overnight. "You never did answer my question, though." said Zidane.

"What question?"

"Why did I have to come."

"You're the only one who can use that stone."

"Why?"

"I don't know. It has something to do with your heritage...but I still don't know."

"Are we actually going to use the stone?"

"I don't know."

"Then why did I come if we're not?" Freya didn't answer his question, she just looked at Burmecia. "All I know is, Zidane, than if we actually _do_ have to use it, we need you to be around to do it." Zidane just stared ahead, not saying anything else. Freya shifted legs. "What are you thinking, Zidane?" He shook his head, then answered, "...Where did I come from? What am I doing here? Who were my parents? Why was _I_ given the stone? Why did any of it happen?" Then he stopped. "...Why _did_ any of it happen?" He looked down. "...There were so many things I wanted to tell Garnet back in Alexandria, but I just couldn't muster up enough courage to tell her." Freya looked at him. "I think you told her everything she needed to hear, Zidane. You did fine. We'll be in Burmecia two weeks...three, at the most."

He looked up, pleased by the memory that this voyage wouldn' be near as long as the other ones. "Yeah...two weeks..."

An Alexandrian soldier walked up to Steiner, and announced, "Sir, we could not find queen Garnet. She has dissapeared from the castle." Steiner's upper lip curled at one side, then his face turned red with anger. "Rrr...the theif!!!" He looked with an enraged expression at the soldier, then said, "Send two of the fastest military airship units. Attack the Prima Vista II, but make sure you get queen Garnet back here safely!!!"

"YesSIR!!!" shouted back the guard, then turned to the other soldiers, and raised a hand. All of them saluted, then ran in different directions. The soldier turned back to Steiner. "And what about all the others?" Steiner thought for a second. He quickly answered, "Bring them back here in chains."

"Yessir! If they are found, we shall for-"

"No, not _if_...but _when_."

Zidane and Freya stood, talking for about an hour up on the main deck of the airship. Then, as he told Freya about what he told Garnet last night, he ended it with "...I wish I would have told her to come with me...but I guess I shouldn't treat her like a child."

"What did you tell her?"

"I told her that a theif can't make a queen's decisions for her...that she has to make them on her own..."

"Which is exactly what I did." said a farmiliar voice behind Zidane. He turned, and his heart jumped when he saw... "Garnet!!!" he walked slowly towards her, not knowing what to say for the eightieth time. "You...wh...how...when...but..." he stuttered.

"I left my room in the middle of the night, and hid myself in the airship." she answered to his blank question.

"How did you get past security?" asked Zidane.

"I remembered everything you taught me," she said. "Four years may be a long time, but my memory goes back further than that." He smiled, and they embraced eachother. Amarant came up onto the main deck, and started talking. "Hey, there's two...oh...again with the romance!" he rolled his eyes, and waited on them to stop hugging. When they seperated, Amarant started again. "...OK. Now! There's two a-"

"I had no idea you were on board!" interrupted Zidane, talking to Garnet. Amarant frowned, then began talking again. "Once again, there-"

"Did you actually think I would let you leave without saying goodbye?" interrupted Garnet. Amarant shook his head, and Freya quietly laughed. "For the LAST time," began Amarant, "There are TWO-"

"Yeah...but I should've known better than that." Amarant threw his hands into the air. Garnet and Zidane were too involved in talking to eachother to notice he was trying to talk to them. As they simply stared into eachother's eyes, Zidane came closer to Dagger. As they were about to kiss, the ship rocked. The two fell, Amarant crossed his arms and said "SEE!!!???", and Freya almost lost balance. After the ship stopped rocking, Zidane helped Garnet up, and both ran to the railing behind the ship.

"Those are Alexandrian ships!" said Zidane. He turned around. "Amarant, why didn't you tell us!!!??? this changes everything!"

Steiner stood on the deck of the ship closer to the Prima Vista II. A soldier was behind him, shouting out commands at low-ranking units. He turned to Steiner, and asked, "What do we do, sir!?" Steiner just watched the escaping airship, then said, "Go full speed. Pull up beside the ship, and board it. Bring the queen back here, and destroy the engine. Leave all the other on the ship as we pull away."

"Yessir!" shouted the soldier.

Zidane ran to the cockpit, to see Baku piloting the ship. He turned to Zidane, and said, "There are two ships following us. The leading one just fired and missed, but it scratched the side pretty bad. What do we do, kid? Do we surrender or run for it?"  
"Do you know what you're asking?"

"Yeah."

"Then why are you asking me!?" Baku looked ahead, smiled, and said, "Right." He set the throttle to full speed, and the ship's engine made the room warm. Amarant ran into the cockpit. "What are we doing? ...Why did I just ask that?" he turned, and ran out of the cockpit.

Outside, Garnet was standing against the railing. She turned to Amarant, who was running towardsher, then shouted, "What's going on?" Now the wind was hard to hear over.

"Those two airships are after us. They want you back in Alexandria!" was her shouted answer. Suddenly, the leading ship caught up with them, and pulled up beside the Prima Vista II. Zidane watched and saw twelve armed soldiers on the main deck of the other airship. There were seven in regular armor, and one in red plating. Amarant pulled Garnet into the cockpit as Steiner jumped off just in time to see her being dragged by him. He drew his sword, and signaled four guards to follow him.

"What do we do now!?" asked Garnet. Baku smiled again, and said, "what do you think?" He shut the door and locked it. He ran out another door on his side, and everyone else followed him. Soon afterwards, Steiner broke through the door and chased after them. Zidane waved at Garnet to follow him, as Baku went a different way. They climbed up to a mast, and as she held on to his shoulders and hung off his back, he pulled both of them up the pole. Steiner looked up and saw them climbing. "You two! Cut down this mast! NOW!!!" In a flash, two guards were already cutting at one side of the mast. When they were halfway through it, it began to crack, then break, and the pole began to fall. Garnet screamed as she and Zidane began to fall fowards, and as the mast landed, they were jerked _hard_ and fell off.

Zidane fell safely onto the dock of the enemy airship as Garnet grabbed a rail support between the Prima Vista II and the Alexandrian ship, dangling in mid-air.

Amarant, Eiko, and Baku were all stuffed into a small closet. Baku peeked through as four soldiers searched the bedroom. "What should we do?" whispered Eiko. It was an odd arrangement, seeing two tall, brawny men and a ten year-old squeezed into a tiny closet. Amarant thought for a second. "What are we doing!?" he loudly whispered. "We can take on these guys! Why are we running away!?" Baku nodded, and counted down. "...3...2...1!" he said, getting louder with each number. Suddenly, they threw open the door. Baku knocked out two guards with powerful blows from his sword, Amarant beat the lights out of one, and Eiko pulled the hair out of the last one until he ran away, screaming in pain. "There's more coming!" shouted Baku, as he opened the door to see more soldiers.

Outside, Zidane ran to Garnet. As her fingers lost their last amount of strength, she fell, and Zidane caught her by one hand. Now she was hanging between two ships by one hand. Zidane began sliding towards her, his eyes growing wide as he was coming further and further off the deck. Finally, when he was about to fall off and plummet to certain death, a hand caught his leg, and began pulling. He turned to see who had saved his and Garnet's life. "Freya! Thank God!" he said, as he pulled harder on Garnet.

As Zidane thought all was going well, he realized with horror that the two ships were coming closer together. "Freya, pull!!!" he shouted to the animal-like person pulling on him. Slowly but surely, Garnet was coming futher up the deck. As her head was being pulled up, the two ships collided and bounced off eachother, pulling on her hair painfully...but she was safe. She sat up and quickly stood. Zidane said, "Whew...that was a close one-" he was shoved down and foward by Steiner, who was behind him. He slid to the edge of the deck.

"Theif, you nearly killed queen Garnet!" She began to run at Steiner, but a soldier caught her by the arms. He said, "Do not worry, Your Highness, you will be transported back to Alexandria immediately..." then he looked at Zidane. "...but _you _won't." He walked forward, and kicked Zidane in the stomach. It knocked the air out of him. Both he and Garnet were surprised at Steiner's actions. "STEINER!!! What are you doing!?" she shouted. Steiner simply smiled and didn't answer. He put his plated foot up to Zidane's chest, then slowly pushed him off, and he caught hold of the edge of the deck. Now Zidane was hanging off the side of the ship. Steiner came closer to him. "Steiner! What do you think you're doing!?" shouted Zidane.

"I'm following Alexandrian law." answered Steiner. He raised a rusted metal boot in the air...and froze. He looked on the main deck of the Prima Vista II, and his mouth dropped open. Then, a familiar voice came from the deck. "Quina still HUNGRY!!!" Quina jumped onto the railing, bent all the way over (let me tell you, that was something to see), and jumped onto the deck, rocking the entire ship. Steiner fell over, and Zidane pulled himself up onto the deck. Se waved for everyone to follow him, and the entire party ran aboard the Prima Vista II.

"What do we do!?" shouted Baku, pointing back at the other airship. Zidane smiled, and said, "We let them have their airship back!" Baku smiled again, and ran onto the other airship. No one knew what they were doing except Zidane and himself. Baku ran into the cockpit and simply pulled a switch. As fast as he could, he sprinted back to the Prima Vista II, and jumped just in time (along with Steiner) to get off the ship, which was slowing down. In magnificent effects, the two airships collided, and orange balls of fire erupted from the explosion. The Prima Vista II rocked hard, but everyone was relieved, this time...except Steiner.

As he stood, Garnet shouted at him, "What in the _world_ were you doing!?" He looked around at everyone, then drew his sword...or, he would have, but Baku was waving it in the air with a _lookie-what-I-found_ expression. He scratched the back of his neck. "I am...following Alexandrian law."

"...Which is?"

"...If any attempts are made to capture the queen, Prince, Queen, or King of Alexandria, they shall be executed."

"OK, Steiner, are we in Alexandria!?" Steiner looked around again.

"No, but he _did_ kidnap you _again_! ...And the law has been changed-there are no pardons from the sectence."

"Steiner, they didn't even know I was on the ship."

"...They didn't?"

"No! Last night, using 'someone's tactics', I left my room at about two in the morning. I stayed in the Prima Vista II overnight. They just found out I was here about ten minutes ago!" Steiner gave one last look at everyone. Then he shook his head, and said, "I'm sorry, Your Highness. It shall not happen again."

"No, it won't, will it, Rusty?" asked Zidane, with an evil smile on his face. Steiner turned red with anger again. As everyone returned to how they were before (except Zidane and Garnet), Freya announced, "We will be in Burmecia shortly."

"How long?" asked Garnet.

"About..." she paused to talk to Baku. "...an hour at the most."

When they arrived in Burmecia, Freya was the first off the ship. She looked around at the dead city. Rubble lay everywhere now. Some of the buildings they had seen four years ago weren't even standing any more. She remembered seeing Beatrix, before she realized what the Queen was up to, cut down an innocent Burmecian. And then they thoughtlessly destroyed Cleyra...

But for some reason, the images were hard to think about. Maybe someone was in Burmecia! She ran through the entrance of the city, forgetting about her friends behind her. Zidane chased her, wondering about what was running through her mind.

By the time he had reached her, she was already in the circular stone field that was near the other end over the city, opposite from where the Prima Vista II had parked. It was very familiar. Zidane remembered laying in the rain, reaching for his bleeding arm. He remembered the powerful Kuja climbing onto the back of his white dragon, and flying away, leaving them there to die.

But it wasn't raining, now. His arm only had a small scar on it. Kuja and Queen Brahne were dead. There was only Freya looking around on a sunny day in a stone field. He joined her. She was staring at a large statue that was beginning to erode from years of uselesness. "What are you thinking, Freya?"

"...I just thought someone was here."

"In Burmecia?"

"...Yes. I don't know what I was thinking. This city's been dead too long for _anyone_ to return to it and try to live." The two looked at the stone statue for a moment, then Zidane said, "Well, when the other's get here, we'd better begin looking for the stone."

"Zidane?"

"Yeah?"

"...Have you named the stone yet?"

"Named it? What do you mean?"

"It's your stone...you have to name it."

"Uh...I don't know...I've never named a stone before."

"Then I'm in luck." said a voice behind them. They both turned to see a stranger standing behind them. "Who are you?" asked Zidane. The man had had black hair, and Garnet's eyes. He smiled an evil smile, but looked harmless. He wore a black vest and pants, and he carried a large pair of daggers on his back. They reminded Freya of Zidane's daggers, but then again, many people use them now.

"I'm Chosrus. I know what you're looking for." He held up a fist-sized green stone. Although Zidane had no memory of the item, for some reason he quickly recognized it...but he couldn't remember where. "...Seem familiar?" he asked.

"Where did you get that?" asked Zidane.

"I found it. Do you want it?"

"...Yes. Why?"

"I want it, too." He put the stone in his pocket, and drew his daggers. He walked slowly towards Zidane. As Zidane pulled out his weapons, Freya said, "Zidane! What do you think you're doing?"

"Getting back what's mine. Why?"

"You don't know his skill...or anything!"

"He doesn't know mine, either." He smiled at her, then continued towards Chosrus. As Chosrus raised his daggers, Zidane put his in front of his face. As both pairs of weapons met, a clang knocked Zidane back a step. After that, Zidane reared back and hit the enemy's weapons with his own.

Garnet was the first to rush out onto the scene. "Freya, what's going on? Who's th-" she stopped immediately. She stared at Chosrus, not knowing his name, but recognizing him from somewhere before...

"Why do you mess with my attitude, Zidane!?" asked Chosrus, when they both were in eachother's face for a few seconds. Zidane was surprised. "How did you know my name!?"

"I know anything. I know everything..." he smiled, then. "...I know...the future."

"The future?"

"Yes. I know...I see...Garnet...in your hands...on an airship...bleeding...you're screaming...a man named Kuja is there..." Zidane's mouth dropped open. _My dream_...he thought..._How is he doing this!?_

Zidane's defense was down for a second, and Chosrus turned all the way around, and hit Zidane in the face with his dagger. He fell to the ground. "You see, boy...you'll never win at my game..."

"NOOOO!" shouted Garnet, running to Zidane. As she reached him, Chosrus had already sheathed his daggers, and walked away. Zidane stood up, and felt around his face. When he removed his hand from his brow, he found blood running down his face. After Garnet took out a rag and cleaned his face off for him, she saw that it left a permanent scar going down his right eyebrow, skipping his eye, and continuing down his face to his chin.

"Where'd he go?" asked Zidane.

"I don't know," said Garnet. He walked that way..." she said, pointing behind him. "What are you going to do?"

"Follow him. Let's see...he's heading towards Fossil Roo, so that's where we're going next."

Aboard the Prima Vista II, the party began to make their way towards Fossil Roo, an eight hour trip. By the time they had been traveling six hours, it was about 10 PM. Freya was standing out on the main deck of the airship, and was thinking to herself.

__

Doesn't Zidane see what's happening? He's making a new enemy. _This one_..._I sense he's much more powerful than Kuja_. _He knew what Zidane was dreaming, too_..._and he hasn't told any of us about it_. _Does he really know everything?_

Zidane came up to the main deck after talking to Garnet, Eiko, and Baku for a long time. Amarant was relieving Baku from piloting the Prima Vista II. He wandered happily over to Freya. He frowned when he saw her dark expression. "What are you thinking, Freya?"

"About the future. None of us knows what it holds."

"That's true. I think it's better that way." She looked over at him.

"I know you do."

"Huh?"

"When he told you your dream, you were shocked. Doesn't that tell you something?"

"I don't feel like talking about it."

"But Zidane, how do you know that your dream may not be true?"

"_I said I don't feel like talking about it_." She sighed, then looked ahead, across the vast, empty ocean. The moonlight sparkled off the clear waters, waves bouncing on the surface. The smell of salt was in the air. "How do you know he's in Fossil Roo?" she asked.

"I have no idea. I just thought he might be there. I had this...feeling...that told me there was something there for him...but what?" Then, Garnet came up on board. Freya looked at her, then back to Zidane. "You two haven't gotten a minute alone. I'll leave." said Freya, as she leaped high into the air, catching onto a mast. Garnet looked up at her for a minute, then walked over to Zidane. She looked at him, struggling for something to say. "...Your cut is healing."

"Yeah," he replied, feeling the two-part injury. It was a miracle that the dagger missed his eye. "Thanks for taking care of me out there." he said.

"Taking care of you? Hardly." She smiled at him.

"No, really. I'd bet a million Gil he would have killed me if you wouldn't have run to me."

"I think he wouldn't have cared either way. It looked like his job was to steal the stone, not kill you."

"...If you say so." She looked out over the ocean. She breathed in the salt-tinted air, and smiled again. "It was in return for saving me."

"What?"

"Back when Steiner tried to take me back to Alexandria. You caught me just in time."

"No, I _had_ to do that."

"Why?"

"Then Steiner would have _really_ killed me. Torture or something."

"Torture you? The 'Great Theif, Zidane'? How could he do that?"

"You saw what he did. Quina saved both of us, actually."

"...Huh?-Yeah, that's right! I forgot. We should have thanked her."

"No, I did."

"What did she say?"

"Nothing. She was too busy chewing on Steiner's helmet."

"Steiner lost his helmet?"

"Yeah. You didn't notice?"

"I was too mad. I'll never get over him doing that to you."

"...Well, it happened, so you might as well put it behind you. There's no changing it."

"I guess you're right." Then, Amarant came out of the cockpit.

"Hey, Zidane, it's Baku's turn I've been goin' at it for the past three hours."

"He's downstairs." Amarant nodded, then opened the door to go down into the ship. Then he froze. "Oh, Zidane..."

"Yeah?"

"...You want anyone up here?" Zidane looked at Garnet, then shook his head.

"Naah. Let 'em talk." Amarant went downstairs, shutting the door behind him. The two looked back out over the sea. "So, what are we going to do when we get there?" asked Garnet.

"I don't know. I guess ask around. Maybe someone knows where he went. He possibly went to Conde Petie for something or the other. I don't see why anyone would stay in Fossil Roo. It's only a way from continent to continent." Garnet walked over to a bench near a wall where the door was. She sat down, then motioned for Zidane to sit down beside her, and he did. "Why does he want the stone for himself?"

"I don't know...possibly to protect himself." He put his arm around her shoulder.

"From what?"  
"...Maybe...enemies. He could have someone he hates, and wants to destroy them."

"How does it work?"

"Well, it's a fist-sized green stone...like marble. Siden, Eidolon of time, enchanted it with powers to make it an item for time travel. When you use it, all physical things are in-aged, or reverse/speed up in growing. There's two ways to use it. The first way is average time travel. It reverses or speeds up everything except the user physically, and makes it go back in age. That's the first way. The second way is making only you go back or forward in age." Zidane knew that would come in handy, even if it was fairly useless compared to the first way. "That's the second way. Now, when you equip is, you lose all other abilities except that one. It is not useable in battle, and may be deadly to other party members. Hey, do you think..." he stopped when he realized that Garnet's head was laying on his chest, and she was asleep. He had talked too much.

He looked around, and noticed the black mage was standing in the doorway. He whispered, "Vivi! Come here!" The short mage ran to him immediately. "Vivi, get her legs, and I'll get her shoulders." He instantly but carefully took hold of Garnet's ankles while Zidane gingerly worked her head off his chest. He caught her shoulders, and both silently laid her on the bench. They both backed off, and Zidane crossed his arms. "She's beautiful, isn't she?" asked Zidane. Vivi nodded.

"What are you going to do when we finally get the stone, Zidane?" he asked.

"I guess return to Alexandria. Hey...you don't doubt that we will?"

"We always beat our enemies, don't we? We always beat the impossible. And with you caring about Garnet as much as you do, I don't have a doubt in my mind that we'll easily beat Chosrus."

"Vivi?"

"Yes?"

"...You just earned your position as Best Man." A voice behind them laughed. Baku was standing there, and had heard the short conversation between the two. "Boys, boys," he said, putting a meaty hand on both of their shoulders and chuckling. "You've just reached a level better than me."

"Really?" asked Zidane. "What level?" Baku thought for a second, then quietly answered, "...You have a woman."

"Huh? Didn't you?"

"No."

"I thought you were married, once."

"I _was_ married."

"To who?"

"Someone named Vatona."

"Well, isn't that a female?"

"No, that dang woman's a rhinoceros!!!" he said, jokingly. He exploded with laughter. Zidane and Vivi (though you couldn't tell) smiled, and he turned and put a finger to his lips. Baku instantly became silent as Zidane pointed to the sleeping Garnet. His cheeks swelled, and his face became red. He opened the door, and bolted downstairs. Even Freya, who was on the top of the highest mast, could easily hear the eruption of Baku's laughter down in the cabin.

"Are you going to go inside?" asked Vivi.

"...No, I think I'll stay up here until she wakes up. Then I'll take her to the girl's bedroom." That was where she, Freya, Quina, and Eiko slept. In the main cabin, Zidane, Vivi, Amarant, Baku, and Steiner slept. As Vivi shut the door, Zidane thought about Garnet. What _would_ they end up as in the future? Would he still be a lowly theif, and she a High queen over a kingdom? Or would they be married? If they were married, would she run away with him, or would he become King of Alexandria? How about that...in four years going from a theif to a king...

When Garnet awoke, Zidane was leaning against a wall. His arms were crossed, and he was standing beside the bench. "Hey, it's about time you woke up." She rubbed her eyes, and groggily said, "...Oh...what time is it?"

"Oh, I don't know. Somewhere around 7 AM." Then she noticed that they weren't moving. The Prima Vista II was parked near the entrance of Fossil Roo. "Everyone's up except Vivi and Eiko. We'll go when they've eaten." She stood up, and took a few seconds to gain balance.

After Garnet, Vivi, and Eiko had eaten, they all left the airship to Baku, who stayed to make sure nothing happened to it. They came around dusty bends and several turns in a straight path. Walls of layered rock rose from the ground high into the air, creating a single path for them that was easy to follow. "When did they put this in?" asked Garnet.

"After we returned to Alexandria." answered Zidane. "They had mined much deeper into Fossil Roo more than anyone expected. You wouldn't _believe_ how large the caverns are now."

"Are we going all the way through?"

"No, just to the outside tunnels." Be the time they came at a sharp bend in the road, they saw the entrance to Fossil Roo. Amarant sensed something was very wrong. Suddenly, they heard a scream echo throughout the walls of the cliffs. Though the entrance was only a few hundred feet away, horrific shouts for help and cries of agony seemed to some from every direction. "What's going on!?" asked Freya. The whole party ran to the mouth of the entrance, and were forced back by scorching heat and clouds of smoke. "Someone needs to get in there!" shouted Amarant. "We can't just let people die!" Everyone suddenly took a different perspective of him.

"Garnet," said Zidane, "do you have a water spell?"

"I could summon Leviathan." Everyone looked at eachother with different expressions.

"Should we risk it? It might kill everyone down there."

"If we don't, they might die anyway." Garnet gave one last look at Zidane, then rose her staff. She thought for a moment, then the sky went dark. It had been years since everyone had seen the monstrous figure of the beast, so it impressed even Amarant. Out of the clouds came the outline of something terrifying to enemies of its master. A large, blue snakelike figure with white-rimmed scales and fins covered the enemy protectively. It's red eyes opened, and looked only at it master. Leviathan was something you _didn't_ want to mess around with. Suddenly, a thousand low- and high-pitched roars and squeals came from the creature, and waves of water exploded from its mouth.

The water covered the mouth of the cave, and the smoke began to clear. Garnet ran into the cavern, and felt around. "...H...hel...help..." said a voice from somewhere. She felt around the walls, which were now wet and cold, like they had been before the fire. Then, when she came to part of the wall, she felt something rounded and hard, though she couldn't tell what it was. "Is this you?" she asked, feeling all over the figure.

"...I...don't...know...I can't...fe...feel...a...anythin...ing...." Then, the smoke cleared a bit more, and Garnet could see what she had her hand on. She was touching the skull of a skeleton, its mouth open and its arms raised in torment. She jumped back, her heart pounding hard. She breathed heavily, and looked around when the smoke was completetly gone. There were several minerse on the ground, but most of them were already dead. Some wore burned rags, one in red plating, and most were identical skeletons. She saw a man lying on the floor, reaching out to her. He was a miner, there were several picks and shovels around him. "Pl...lease...hel...lp...m...me..." he struggled to talk. She ran over to him, and crouched down beside him. There was a stream of blood coming from his mouth, and dirt tinted his entire immobile body brownish-black.

"What happened?" asked Garnet, noticing Zidane come up behind him.

"There...wa...as...a man...he was dress...sed...in bl...black. H...e...star...ted the en...tire...caver...ern...on fi...ire..."

"Did he have a weapon?" asked Zidane.

"...Yes...t...two...dag...aggers..."

"Where did he go?"

"...sa...aid...he was go...oing...to...Ma..." Then the man went limp. Because everything was quiet, the _thud_ of his head on the ground was heard throughout the cave. Garnet stepped away from him, and looked at Zidane. "He's going to Madain Sari." Zidane looked at her, then back at the man. When there was a connection between someone against everyone else and those ruins, something was _really_ wrong.

The ship raced for the ruins of Madain Sari. It was, at their speed, a five hour trip. When they reached the city, Everyone except Baku leaped out of the airship, and ran for the ancient Eidolon Wall. When they arrived, Chosrus was already there. He was standing near an unknown summon to everyone. He didn't turn around. He didn't talk. He just read the undecipherable language to himself.

"What are you doing?" asked Zidane. The man's head went down, and he paused for a moment. Finally, he turned around. "...Aah, the survivor of our last battle. I didn't know that you would actually _chase_ me." He smiled. "A very brave thing to do...no, no...correct that. A very _stupid_ thing to do." Garnet's brow was raised at those words. Chosrus slowly pulled out his daggers, still holding the stone in his left hand. "Garnet, go back to the ship." said Zidane.

"No. I want to stay here-"

"Garnet, _please_. I'm not asking you, I'm telling you." He looked into her eyes. She understood that he didn't want her to get hurt because of him, but she didn't want him hurt, either. She hesitated, then nodded. She gave him a fast kiss on the cheek, then ran towards the airship. He watched her return, and put his hand to where she had just kissed him. "...A very prized possesion, Zidane." He turned to face Chosrus. "It would be...a sorrow...if..."

"If _what_?"

"...If she were to be killed." Zidane's eyes grew wide. He showed an enraged expression, and took a risky step towards the evil one. Chosrus rose his hand, and a beam of light knocked Zidane to the ground. The dust rose into his face, he grabbed his scar as it stung badly. Then he stood up, wiped off the dirt, and turned back to Chosrus.

"You keep your hands off her! Your fight is with me!"

"With you, yes. But also with her."

"What?"  
"Don't you see, Zidane?...Our likenesses?...Our differences?"

"What are you talking about?"

"So...she never mentioned me to you."

"To me, it looked like she never knew about you."

"Oh, but she did...very well."

"How?"

"Come, I'll show you." As Chosrus raised his hand with the green stone, Zidane expected to be blown backwards. Instead, the sky grew dark. The clouds seperated, and the sun darkened. The large shape of the moon slowly slipped across the light, causing an eclipse. Suddenly, as it grew brighter and brighter, Zidane felt his whole body fly up in the air.

As it darkened, he found himself floating above waters. "What is this, Chosrus!?" he shouted. Two voices as one, a high and a low, said together, "Yyouu ddon'tt rrememberr GGarnett ttalkingg aaboutt tthiss??" Then, the sky quickly grew dark and was filled with clouds. He could see waves pushing higher and higher. Then a small boat shot over a wave, floating through air for a long time. It crashed into the sea, water leaping everywhere and filling the boat.

Zidane could see A woman almost identical to Garnet, except she was a bit older. He could see who was the true Garnet behind her, who was very young, but still beautiful. "What does this memory have to do with anything!?" shouted Zidane.

"Yyouu ddon'tt ssee iitt??" He looked closer onto the ship, but found nothing different from what Garnet had described to him. "No! What are you talking about!?"

"WWatchh ccloselyy oonn GGarnett.." Zidane watched her for about five minutes, screaming to her mother over the winds. He could just barely make out, "...have _noth_...erboard!" Her mother shouted something, then she answered, "..do it! I'm...ot responsib...r him!!!" The woman began to cry, then pulled up a blanket. Then, the waves and thunder quietened, but were still leaping everywhere. "LListenn ccarefullyy, ZZidanne." Now Zidane could only hear their voices. It was what they were saying before.

"We have _nothing_ to throw overboard!" shouted Garnet to her mother.

"We'll...have to sacrifice someone for us to live!" Garnet looked at her mother for a second, and her mouth dropped open.

"You do it! I'm not responsible for him!" Then the mother reached down, and picked up a blanket. She unfolded it to see a screaming baby, it arme reaching for nothing in paticular. His mother began to cry, and hugged it close for the last time, and set it into the water, watching it go underneath. It crossed between choking and crying, then went silent as it sunk below the icy depths of the ocean. Then everything froze in place. Zidane's mouth was open in awe. If she were him, he wouldn't gather up enough strength to _ever_ do that.

"DDoo yyouu ssee nnoww, ZZidanne?" He looked closely at Garnet, frozen in place. She was turned around from her mother, holding onto the mast of te boat, crying to herself gently. "...II hhavve sstruggledd fforr aann aanswerr ttoo wwhyy sshe never tried to fight her mother." Chosrus appeared above the boat. "She just...let me die. I have no idea why she didn't fight it. What's more, she never talked about me after that. She forgot about me, Zidane." Zidane looked at him, frowning.

"She was trying to survive, Chosrus! What could she do!?"

"You don't see my point, do you!? She _let_ me die, without ever talking about it again."

"Chosrus, would you rather have her, her mother, _and_ you die, or let them live?"

"It would be an honorable thing to do."

"What?"

"I don't see death the same way anybody else does, Zidane."

"What are you talking about?"

"...I am undead. You cannot hurt me." Zidane thought for a second..._Oh, nothing a Phoenix Down couldn't take care of_.

"Yes it is." Zidane's mouth dropped open again. Chosrus could hear his thoughts!

"If you're undead, and I used a Phoenix down or an Elixir, you would be destroyed."

"No, this is a _different_ undead. I am not living. I am not dead. I am what you humans would call...an immortal."

Then, Zidane felt his body hit solid ground. He opened his eyes, and he was back in Madain Sari. It was already nighttime. He saw the green stone ahead of him, on an altar. He started for it, but his legs wouldn't move.

"No, no, no, Zidane! First, you have a choice." Zidane's legs returned to normal, and he fell down again. As dirt clouded around his face, he noticed that his scar didn't sting. He felt around his face. Then he turned to see Chosrus at the exit of the Wall.

"Heh heh.... Like I said, you have a choice. You can either save Garnet...or get the stone for yourself." Zidane looked at the stone, then back to Chosrus, who was positioned as if he was going to run for the Prima Vista II. "Which is it, Zidane?" He watched Chosrus smile evilly at him. He bolted for the stone, then turned to see Chosrus already gone. He ran as fast as he could from the Eidolon Wall.

As he reached the Prima Vista II, he saw Chosrus climbing the rope to the ariship's bow. Zidane grabbed the rope, and tugged with all his might. When he reached the top, Garnet was waiting for him. She said, "Zidane, what's the matter? Where have you been? It's 12:00 PM...you had me worried sick!!!"

"Where's Chosrus!?"

"...Chosrus? What are you talking about, Zidane? He didn't some up here."

"Yes he did! Garnet, stay with me! He's looking for you...he's not what you think he is!"

"He's nott?...Tthenn...wwhatt...iiss...hhee!?" Garnet's face melted from her head, revealing her skull underneath, then new skin began growing. As it covered the skull, Zidane slowly recognized Chosrus's face.

"Too bad you chose to go for the stone. Now you're too late for the only person you ever really cared about!!!" Chosrus turned to see Freya behind him, holding her spear in battle position. She reared back...and thrust it through his heart. But he didn't scream. He didn't flinch. He didn't even move. He just smiled, grabbed the spear, and pushed it back out. "Naughty, naughty girl!" he said to Freya's amazement. "You shouldn't play with these _toys_..." He grabbed the spear, and stabbed it through Freya's chest.

"NOOOOO!!!" shouted Zidane. His heart leaped at the sight of Freya grab the spear, look up a final time at Zidane, and fall to the ground. Chosrus turned to smile at Zidane, still holding the spear, and said, "Well...if I can't happily greet your love, I might as well..._appear_ nice." Once again, his face melted off his skull, and a new face grew. The face sent terror through Zidane's heart. Now Chosrus wore black shoulderpads, black boots, a white coattail, white sleeves, had blue-white hair, and a black mouth. "...Do I look appropriate, Zidane?"

"You're..."

"I know who I _appear_ to be."

"...No...no, Kuja's dead!!!"

"_He_ is, but _I'm_ alive. In fact...oh...", he stretched his arms into the air, "...I haven't been _this_ alive in years." Zidane slowly shook his head. "Face it, Zidane, you'll never win at my game." He dissapeared after that, taking the spear with him. Freya's head rose, and he ran to her. He knelt down, and raised her upper body off the ground. "Z...Zidane..."

"No, Freya, don't talk...you'll be alright..."

"N...no, Zidane...I'm going...to die...here..."

"No...no...NO!!!" Freya slowly shook her head.

"My eyes...I can't even...see anymore, Zidane...I can hardly...hear you..."

"...Freya...no...I won't let you die here..." Zidane held back tears coming to his eyes.

"...Zidane...what...what are you...thinking?..."

"I'm...I...I want to tear his heart out...he's going on a rampage...and I can't stop him..."

"You _can_...Zidane...just..."

"What? Just what?"

"...Help Garnet...Zidane...She's more important...than anything..." Then Freya's eyes closed, and a last breath came out. As Zidane just thought recently that her face couldn't get any whiter, it did. Her clothes had already stopped soaking up the blood from her wound.

Zidane laid her head on the wooden floor, and stood up. He looked down at her, and shook his head. "...She's...dead...I never thought I would...see it...."

"Zidane?" He heard the familiar voice from ahead of him. He immediately looked up, and saw Garnet standing in the doorway of the women's bedroom. "Zidane, what's wrong...I heard shouting downstairs, and..." she looked down, and her mouth dropped open. She took two steps forward, and stopped.

She put her hand to her chin, then over her mouth. Zidane's eyes suddenly grew wide. "Garnet..." he choked. Then he shouted he name. "...Garnet!!!" He looked above her. As if in slow motion, Chosrus appeared above her, in Kuja's form. Zidane began running for her, slowly, his legs feeling weak. Everything was so _slow_.... Chosrus began to fall, his spear raised. He looked up at Zidane while he was collapsing, grinning at him. Zidane dove for her, slowly floating through the air...Chosrus fell, the spear inches from her innocent body...

And Zidane stopped, overwhelmed, as Chosrus slid the spear slowly through her back. It stuck out her chest, and she looked at Zidane. Garnet then looked down at the spear, then back to him. "...Zidane?" Chosrus looked up at him still, grinning larger than ever. He took a step back, and pulled the spear out of her body with a jerk. She slowly fell into Zidane's arms backwards, and let her weight go. Chosrus began laughing, saying, "Heh heh heh...I knew it would happen _exactly_ like this."

Zidane layed her down on the ground, still holding her head up. She looked up at him. "Zidane...I'm...I'm going to...die..."

"NOOOO!!! This can't be happening!!!" Chosrus looked down at him.

"It _is_ happening, Zidane. It's _real_. You've never dealt with reality before, have you Zidane?"

"It's...reality is...too painful..."

"Oh, really? Ask Vivi, he watched the Black Mages suffer in Dali. Ask Freya, her entire town was destroyed. Ask Amarant, he never knew what love was. Ask Quina, she was disliked by her people. Ask Steiner, he's dealt with failing Alexandria before."

"...No...no..."

"Ask _anyone_, Zidane. Ask Garnet before it's too late. She has watched two mothers and a brother die."

"...Z...Zidane...?..." struggled Garnet.

"What? What do you want?"

"I...I've never felt like this before..." Chosrus smiled even broader. Then he talked.

"What? You've never felt what? _Pain_? _Suffering_? The loss of life?"

"No...I'm...happy..." Chosrus took a step back. It was like putting a gun to his head.

"..._What!?_"

"I'm...happy...I have nothing to...lose...now..." Then Zidane began to talk.

"What are you talking about?"

"...Zidane...you haven't...failed me..."

"Yes...I did. Now you're going to die..." Zidane held back a flood of tears coming to his eyes. A knot was in his throat. He had never felt this kind of pain before.

"...Zidane...I...want to tell you...something..."

"What?"

"I...I love...you..."

"I love you, Garnet..." She then smiled, and flinched. Zidane brought his unharmed face closer to hers, and the two kissed for a long time. The warm feeling of happiness came over Garnet one last time, then her lips turned cold. Zidane rose his head, and watched as she passed away before his very eyes. He couldn't hold back any longer. A tear streamed down his cheek as he laid her head on the ground. He stood up slowly. Everything was different.

"Feeling sorrow, Zidane?" asked Chosrus. Zidane's lip curled, and he drew his daggers. "You...how can you do this without even _feeling_ guilty!?"  
"I am not guilty. _She_ is, Zidane."

"...Shut up..."

"She brought her own death upon her. She was the one who made you hate me."

"...I said _SHUT UP!!!_" screamed Zidane. Chosrus simply smiled at him. "You cannot change anything, Zidane. Everything's the way it _should_ be." Zidane's face was glowing red with fury. "Remember when she said she heard shouting? Remember when she said she came out to see what was the matter? That she heard noises downstairs? That was me, also. Just think about it, Zidane." He then frowned. "Garnet's dead. Freya's dead. Quina...Steiner...Amarant...Baku...Eiko...yes, even the helpless Vivi is dead."

"Why are you doing this!?"  
"Why? _Why!?_ You loved a murderer, Zidane. To be a murderer is one thing. To love one is much different from that. You don't understand the pain I feel from what she did..."

"_Pain!?_ You don't know what pain is! You actually _saved_ them by being thrown overboard, and now you've killed them."

"Whichever way you see it, Zidane, is a different way from how I see. It You may have been playful and funny before, not knowing what was wrong with everyone else, but now you know what it's like to _hurt_. You can play my game, Zidane, if you want to...but you'll never win." Zidane looked up at him, his tears dried to his face, and he opened his palm to reveal the green stone.

"I wouldn't be so sure..." he said to Chosrus. He lifted the Stone into the air, and concentrated his thoughts only on making him go to some other tim...

"What do you think you're doing, Zidane?"

"Everything you've made me see is an illusion."

"What?"

"I know this isn't real."

"What? What are you talking about? Of course it's real!" Zidane shook his head in disbelief.

"No. Remember our fighting back at Burmecia?"

"Of course. How could I forget your loss?"

"You _did_ forget. You left a scar on my face. Before I chased you, I felt around my eye, and nothing was there. _This is an illusion_." Chosrus made a large frown, and Zidane returned to concentrating on the time they returned to reality from Garnet's memory. Suddenly, The moon moved in front of the sun again, and there was another solar eclipse.

Then, Zidane felt his body hit solid ground. He opened his eyes, and he was back in Madain Sari. It was already nighttime. He saw the green stone ahead of him, on an altar. He started for it, but his legs wouldn't move.

"No, no, no, Zidane! First, you have a choice." Zidane's legs returned to normal, and he fell down again. As dirt clouded around his face, he felt the scar sting painfully. He felt around his face. As he took his hand away from his face, he saw drops of blood on his glove. _It's real_, he thought. Then he turned to see Chosrus at the exit of the Wall.

"Heh heh.... Like I said, you have a choice. You can either save Garnet...or get the stone for yourself." Zidane looked at the stone, then back to Chosrus, who was positioned as if he was going to run for the Prima Vista II. It almost shocked Zidane when he remembered the cruel murder of Garnet and Freya on the airship. "Which is it, Zidane?" He watched Chosrus smile evilly at him, again.

"It's a trap, again."

"What?"

"This is all a trap. I can't save Garnet. I can't save Freya. Everyone's going to die."

"So, you figured it out, Zidane. Everything I do is a trap to everyone. What you saw before was an illusion. But I fully guarantee, this time, it _is_ real." Zidane snarled at him.

"It doesn't matter what you do, Zidane. It doesn't matter what anyone does. Soon, I will be the only person alive on this planet." He raised his arms to the sky, looking up into the clouds. "I am immortal!!! I am untouchable!!! I am the _greatest of them all!!!_" Then he looked down at Zidane. "You...all you are is a lowly theif. I know that."

"You aren't immortal."

"How can you say that?"

"I figured out how you don't know everything."

"What are you takling about?"

"Your minions...I saw them."

"Minions?..."

"Yes. I saw them. At the party...a man dressed in red plating. When Steiner was chasing us on the airship...a man in red plating. In the caverns of Fossil Roo...a man in red plating."

"And your dream?"

"I noticed, when I awoke, I saw one walking by the door in the hallway." Chosrus frowned at him. "Alright, then, little boy, I've had enough messing around with you. You may play my game, but you'll always lose...and you're still too late for Garnet." Then he began to run towards the Prima Vista II. Zidane, instead of grabbing the stone, ran after him.

By the time Zidane had reached the airship, Chosrus was already waiting for him. "You're just in time, Zidane. Now you'll experience _real_ pain." Suddenly, from behind him, the whole party ran through the door to see what was going on. "Zidane?" asked Garnet, as she stepped in behind Chosrus.

Chosrus simply smiled. He drew his two daggers, and slowly walked towards Zidane. As Zidane drew his weapons, Freya was about to stop him, then shook his head. Then, Chosrus ran at him, jumped into the air, and the four daggers clashed together. When they were in eachother's face, Chosrus said, "Zidane, maybe _you_ would like to tell Garnet what I am to her." Then he turned to her. Garnet looked oddly at Zidane, then her eyes opened wide.

"...Chosrus!?" she asked.

"...In the flesh." he answered. Then he looked back to Zidane. As they continued their fighting, everyone watched in amazement. Chosrus would kick Zidane in the face, and he would land on the ground. As soon as Chosrus came down on him, he would roll backwards, and Chosrus's pair of daggers would stick into the wooden floor where Zidane's head just was. When Chosrus had him cornered, he said, "You my play my game, Zidane...", then he kicked him to the ground, Zidane's pair of daggers flying from his hand, "...but you'll always lose." He took slow steps towards Zidane, making it hard for Garnet to watch.

Then, as Chosrus raised his weapons in the air, Baku ran, rolled in and grabbed Zidane's daggers, and threw the weapons to him. Zidane rolled over, and stood up. Chosrus's eyes went wide, Zidane turned all the way around, and hit Chosrus in the face. Chosrus fell to the ground in pain. He slowly stood, and wiped away the blood. When it was gone, he found himself with the same mark on his eyes as Zidane...starting above his brow, and ending at his chin. "You...little..._theif_..." he reared back both hands, and cast a wind spell at Zidane. He flew back, hit the railing, and held on to the edge of the Prima Vista II.

"I'm tired of playing with you, Zidane. You've already caused me enough trouble. Now I am going to show you my true power..." He smiled, and opened his hand to reveal the stone. "Maybe I should test it's true power on...Garnet..."

"Leave her alone, Chosrus!!!"

"No, Zidane. Like I said, you will experience true pain. Not physically...", then he raised the stone into the air, "...but in a way you couldn't imagine!" Then, the clouds opened up from above. The sun shone brightly. Zidane quickly pulled himself up, and ran at Chosrus. He drew his daggers, and drove them through Chosrus's back. He jerked with pain, but still held up the stone. "You...think you've...won...?..."

"I'm playing your game...", said Zidane, knocking the stone from his hand, "...and I've won." Chosrus fell to the ground. He looked up to Zidane, and said, "You...you've beaten me...but...h...how?..." Zidane grabbed the stone, and held it up in the air.

"Zidane, what are you thinking?" asked Freya.

"I'm thinking...what I should have thought about before..." Everyone looked at him, taking his answer carefully. The clouds opened up again. "I'm thinking that I should have done this before..." The sun glowed brightly. "...I'm thinking that...in the future...thought we don't know what it holds...everthing will be as it was before." The moon egan to move in front of the sun. "...I'm thinking that...maybe...when there is no one left...", now there was an eclipse, "...the planet will die. But until then..." Zidane felt himself slowly aging, "...good will always triumph." He tossed the Stone to Chosrus, who was laying on the ground.

Then the Stone began to glow. "...Yes...YES!!!" shouted Chosrus. "I am...WINNING!!!..." Then, as the Stone became brighter, he shouted, "...Wha...WHAT!!!???....NOOOOOOOO!!!!" and with that, the stone grew so bright, everything turned white, and everyone suddenly felt at peace.

When everything returned to normal, everyone was there except Chosrus and Zidane's Stone. "What did you do?" asked Garnet.

"I used the first _and_ second way to use the Stone. By making him _and_ the Stone age, he went forward...to the end of time...and the Stone destroyed itself. Now, even if he is alive, he can't return...and there is no more time traveling."

Back at the Alexandria castle, everyone greeted the queen home warmly. Everyone was there. And no red plated men.

Vivi grew to be a powerful Black Mage, one day owning the Black Mage Village himself. He never thought about death or life again, he just happily took it as it went. He stopped functioning at the age of 41.

Eiko grew to be a rich woman in Lindblum. She helped Regent Cid rebuild the city as much as she could. Although the city still is being rebuilt and is as alive as ever, she isn't. She died at age 74.

Amarant and Baku became the best of friends. They went, traveling the whole world together. One day, they set out to look for a legendary continent, it's story spreading all over Gaia. They haven't returned since.

Quina retuned to Qu's Marsh and became the greatest Gourmad there was in history. After knowing her dream was fulfilled, she was buried at age 165 in the entrance to Fossil Roo.

Steiner remained a bodyguard to queen Garnet the rest of his long life. His temper against Zidane had dissapeared, for some odd reason. He died saving the queen from assasination at age 85.

Freya returned to Cleyra to become a high guard. In a civil war between Cleyrans and Burmecians, she was lost in battle. There are now memorial sites in Alexandria, Burmecia, and Cleyra.

Finally, Zidane and Garnet were married a month after this story took place. They had three children, whom they named Cinna, Blank, and Marcus, named after Zidane's theivious friends. They both lived a very long time. Zidane watched Garnet slowly die of a disease spreading over Alexandria, and soon caught the disease himself. They both died peacefully, Garnet at age 97 and Zidane at age 99.

Everyone in this story has or will die. Everyone in every story will. But Zidane's and Garnet's legacy will live forever.

--Did you like this story? Whether you did or didn't, please R+R! Thanks!!!

-QualmC661


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